Looking for a different day?
A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing ‘today’s game’ while others are playing ‘yesterday’s’. If you’re looking for Monday’s puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, January 19 (game #687).
Strands is the NYT’s latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it’s great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
NYT Strands today (game #688) – hint #1 – today’s theme
What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands?
• Today’s NYT Strands theme is… Sneak-ing around
NYT Strands today (game #688) – hint #2 – clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
- LAME
- CASH
- SLOTH
- SPOUT
- TONE
- LOVE
NYT Strands today (game #688) – hint #3 – spangram letters
How many letters are in today’s spangram?
• Spangram has 12 letters
NYT Strands today (game #688) – hint #4 – spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today’s spangram touches?
First side: top, 1st column
Last side: bottom, 5th column
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #688) – the answers
The answers to today’s Strands, game #688, are…
- HEEL
- TONGUE
- VAMP
- SOLE
- SHOELACE
- LOGO
- EYELET
- SPANGRAM: JUSTFORKICKS
- My rating: Easy
- My score: Perfect
For the second game in a row I spotted the spangram first – although to be completely honest I spotted “just” first then kept on going to connect JUSTFORKICS – ending the mystery of the theme in a second.
Of all the various parts of a sneaker in today’s puzzle, VAMP is the one that is new for me and I now know that it’s the word for the small area between the toe box and the quarter panel which contains the eyelets.
During my sneaker shoe parts research I also learned that the area above the heel notch, and often the section that houses the LOGO, is called a moustache. For me, this is the area that often rubs when I’m breaking in a new pair so now I can tell anyone who’s interested that my moustache is rubbing.
Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Monday, January 19, game #687)
- VIBRATE
- QUAKE
- WOBBLE
- SWAY
- TREMBLE
- WAVER
- TEETER
- SPANGRAM: LETSROCK
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT’s not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It’s now a fully fledged member of the NYT’s games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I’ve got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you’re struggling to beat it each day.
